Big Wanderers Win Away To Hungerford !

The Wanderers stuck to their game plan on Saturday and came away with a big win over Hungerford 2s.

Priory Road - Saturday 16th December 2017

Match report by Richard Jeyes

The Wanderers took a strong squad down to West Berkshire with the focus before the game being about executing the strengths of the forward set piece and the mobility of the backs, this was demonstrated to perfection within 4 minutes of the kick off , having opted to take advantage of the noticeable slope, the ball was secured by the pack sucking in several larger defenders before the backs used their quick hands to get the ball to Tom Tanner whose pace was too much for a stretched Hungerford defence and he put down in the corner.

From the re-start the Wanderers dominated in their half and Hungerford were on the back-foot which when Hungerford infringed at the break down just inside their own half, fly-half Andrew Mawle was able to spot a gap and taking the quick tap scored under the posts, which he converted. The Wanderers aim after that was to dominate in the Hungerford half and after a series of penalties a short way out from the Hungerford line Toby Chapman powered over for a try which was converted by the young Bath-born wing Chris Brady.

Hungerford gained some territory in the Wanderers half for a short period but after resolute defence by forwards Dale Stillwell, Russell White, Mathew Shepley and scrum-half Matthew Teale, they could only come away with a solitary 3 points.

After great territory play the Wanderers won a line out on the Hungerford 22, a move straight from the training ground set up by an accurate throw in by Owen Perkins resulted in captain Richard Jeyes (pictured) picking the ball up from the back of the line and storming through Hungerford’s defence, crashing over with his 3rd try of the season. Half Time 3-24.

The second-half started as the first finished with the Wanderers dominating, it was clear that Hungerford were tiring and the Banbury backs could capitalise on that which is what happened as all 4 second-half tries came through the backs.

Firstly, Alex Leadbeater after collecting the ball just in the Hungerford half used his acceleration to score in the corner. It was then the turn of Tom Tanner to add to his tally by stretching Hungerford wide on the right to score after great interplay with Robbie Cooke and Stuart Lindsay. Mawle converted and it would be Lindsay himself who would capitalise on strong backs play when he went over after the forwards had been held up after several scrums which resulted in a disallowed try for Jeyes.

Hungerford managed to get deep into the Wanderers half in what proved to be their final big push, after several infringements from the Wanderers at the break down whilst advantage was played, a fracas broke out which lead to the Hungerford flanker and the Wanderers captain Richard Jeyes being given 10 minutes to cool off.

Hungerford came away with 3 points which was the end of their scoring for the afternoon, however Lindsay thought he was in for his 2nd of the day when the ball was put through by the effervescent Cooke and his foot chase was ended by being barged off the ball which the referee deemed to be only worthy of a penalty and not a penalty try so quick thinking by Cooke lead him to take the 5 points which again was added to by the effective boot of Mawle.

This was the final play and the Wanderers had executed their game plan magnificently with the final result 6-48 to the Wanderers.